A New You

Last week from August 3rd through the 8th I was at a camp. A wonderful relaxing women's retreat. It was truly Heaven sent and I mean that in the complete sense of the word. I was called by a good friend of mine who I haven't seen in 9 years. We recently met up through fac#ebo*ok and it was really wonderful to talk again. So she called me and asked if I wanted to attend "A New You." I was skeptical at first because I would be going alone. My friend was in a leadership position so I had to be okay with no known 'friends' to go along. I hoped and prayed that I would be okay and I was.


Here is my wonderful, thoughtful and wise friend who to my amazement still thinks of me...

We had such a great time and I know I was there for a reason, not only for myself but to help other women, especially one get some perspective on life. One HUGE lesson I learned is that we ALL struggle with hardship and trials during life...but we are not alone in this. There are people who have very similar struggles to our own. Seeing that they were able to push along and overcome their struggles helps us(me) to know we can overcome ours as well.

We learned many different things ranging from fashion/style/etiquette to women's stress/guilt/time management to renewal/hope/our relationship with God.

Fashion/style/etiquette

1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

It's okay to follow trends but create your own style. The MUST HAVE fashion staples...

• A little black dress, it can be dressed up or down.


• A black blazer...fitted.


• A white shirt, you can even wear it over a swimming suit.


• Necklaces...layer them and wrap it differently.


• The perfect clutch...you can wear it with jeans or a dress.


• White Jeans.


• One great shirt or top you love.


• A trench coat in a neutral color.


• Scarves.


• A full length girdle (ex. Spanx)

Fashion changes...style remains. Choose styles suitable for your:

• Body type


• Individual coloring


• Career needs


• Lifestyle

Guilt/Stress/Time Management

We need to get rid of the guilt in our lives. One group that came to this conference was surveyed, and asked a few questions. Over 50% of women surveyed had a hard time expressing anger. We need to express our emotions and there are so many of them. The word mad does not adequately describe how we feel...are we enraged. Are we happy or can we be more detailed...are we jubilant? Can we be more specific about what exact emotions we are feeling?

Our Savior Jesus Christ has a full range of emotions, and it is okay for us to feel all of our feelings. The word Emotion is energy in motion. 60% of those women surveyed take on more than they can handle. It is okay to say NO. Saying no is a reasonable answer and it doesn't require an explanation.

Do your emotional and relational family history. We should learn our vulnerabilities or our pre-dispositions in order to understand our motivations. Over 70% of women surveyed have family members who have mental health problems and 30% are in denial.

Take responsibility for our own happiness. Over 50% of women surveyed don't have time to pursue their interests and meet their own needs. Dependency promotes hostility. The word selfless. You can't give up something you don't have. In order to help others you must have your own sense of "self." Practice being kind to yourself. I don't know who said this but, "A lack of faith in one's self is a criticism of one's maker." How poignant. Learn to ask and accept help. 83% of those women surveyed say it's easire to give help than to receive it.

Galatians 6:2: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. We can be the answers to one another's prayers.

Renewal/Hope/Relationship with God and Jesus Christ

2 Nephi 25:23: For we labor diligently to write to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are save, after all we can do. Jesus Christ doesn't just make up the difference he makes all the difference. This is His grace. Satan's deception is that if you aren't perfect then you are failing. D&C 123:17: Therefore, dearly beloved bretheren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed. After all we can do, we can rest peacefully and know that the grace of God is sufficient for us.

I have learned so much, and I feel so renewed. This conference was a gift from my Heavenly Father, and I am so grateful for Him and for all the good people that he was able to work through for this to be able to happen in my life. The last picture is of me and Barbara Barrington Jones who is the founder and director of "A New You." What a wonderful woman this is. She wrote in a personal journal back in the 1970's how she prayed to the Lord that she wanted to set up a camp for women. A place for them to feel good about themselves, to feel the love of God and to know that they are in the care of Him. He who loves us all.

Can you feel the love this woman has for me? Someone she hardly knows. Do you know her Jesus?

ANewYouForWomen.com

My heart is full...but it still aches

Last night we were lucky enough to attend a BBQ filled with some of my favortie people. Local adopters and some good out of town friends. I will post the pictures and stories later, but I snapped one photo that touched our hearts and here it is.

Someday soon Lyssie Lou, it won't be a dream any more and it will

be your sister you will be holding.

Families can be together forever....

The newest Utah LDS Temple called the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

As beautiful inside as it is out.

We are blessed.

Life is Beautiful...and precious.

Sometimes I have days full of activities, events and chaos. Sometimes I have quiet, contemplative days. This has been one of those days. Life is beautiful...the leaves swaying in the wind, children's laughter and beautiful music. I know I am here for a reason. I am here to be influenced and maybe just maybe to influence someone else. How generous is God to give us beauty in the form of blue sky's, birds chirping, family and so many other precious things.

As I ponder events in my life, I feel that I might be extra blessed. I have learned many things from life lessons. Since my life saving surgery, I treasure much. I remember my family all being tested to see who might be a kidney donor for me. I was sick...and tired...and I just wanted relief. I didn't think about what my donor might be feeling or experiencing. Finally amongst themselves my sister emerged saying she would help. I had worked in the medical field for some time by this point and understood the tests and preparation she would be going through. She, I later came to find out, did not.

Now as I think back to her unwavering commitment to help me, she went through a number of diagnostic tests to determine if she could be a donor. She was barely the legal age to donate. I did my best to accompany her for all these tests. She was to have an angiogram on her kidneys. As I rode in the elevator beside her up to the angiography suite the teenage transporter asked why she was having the test. She said "I'm donating a kidney," but did not indicate it was for me who was standing right beside her. The transporter then responded "Wow are you crazy? Have you seen the scars those leave?" My sister just looked at me and smiled. After the surgery, her room was dark and she was in much pain. They removed two of her ribs to get her kidney. I've often heard that the donor feels pulverized afterwards. I felt immensely better leaving the recovery room.

Life is beautiful, now much more so. I want my sister to know that I feel these moments completely. I hope this brings happiness to her, and I hope she understands and feels these moments as well.

We're back...happy and relaxed.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

A Sobering Introduction to the Holocaust

Since I know that you all value my opinion so very much, here it is. Our family watched a movie last night. The movie was called The boy in the striped pajamas. I'm telling you all now that it was rated PG-13 for the inferences of what actually took place in a "Auschwitz" type concentration camp. Right now in our world , there are people saying the Holocaust was made up, not really true and that it didn't happen. We didn't want Lyssie thinking that was the truth. We all know basically what horrible tragedy's happened in those camps and for the sake of a teaching and parenting moment we allowed Lyssie Lou to watch. This subject matter is not easy to introduce, let alone discuss with kids because it was so horrible and hard to believe that man would have these inhumane feelings for another. Lyssie didn't even know how to pronounce Nazi. She said it like Naw-zee, not Not-zee.

After the movie was over we had a very emotional, but good discussion with her. She told us how she wished it had never happened, wondered why it did happen and why so many people were cheated out of their lives. I'm not saying that this movie is for everyone and it is defintely thematic, but if you want to introduce this subject matter in a less graphic way than Schi*ndler's List, I think this is a good option.

We also used this material to discuss our beliefs within our religion about why we love everyone, every single color, creed and religion. We all are children of Heavenly Father and it is so important to teach love, tolerance and practice good will especially in our world today.

Wow, What a Week!!

So Lyssa Lou, completed a science fair project for school and was one of the winners there. Last night there was the district level of competition...where she won again!! She is now headed off to the State Science Fair at BYU in a few weeks. What a gal!! Her science fair project was "Does chewing gum effect the temperature of your mouth?"

Also today is Valentine's Day and I had to tell my family that I love them.

You are what is most precious to me!

Our Christmas Fun!

Well we had a great Christmas with lots of cheer. We all had fun and received gifts that we wanted. We have fond memories from each side of the family and had a wonderful time spending time in our little family as well. Hope you all had a great one.

"Us"

Youngest niece and sister

cute nieces

The dog taking what she wanted for Christmas

Scott, Alyssa and the nephews

New books, Hooray!!

Lyssie Lou's Christmas hat & mittens

tired of waiting for the picture